Half Term Report: Everton

A fabulous and unexpected revival of one of the great English clubs has been driven by the brilliance of Wayne Rooney, and the excellence of David Moyes' management. Since dubbing Everton "the people's club" when taking over from Walter Smith as a calculated snub to Liverpool, Moyes has not put a foot wrong and for the first time since 1983 a Merseyside derby opened with Everton ahead in the table. Much of the club's success has been down to some dogged defending and although Richard Wright, a £3.5m signing has made the odd error he has more than justified his fee. The main concerns, however, are a relatively poor ratio of goals to chances created and the thinness of the squad. However, if the club can celebrate 100 years of top-flight football with a top-four finish for the first time since 1988, Moyes will be a prime candidate for the title of manager of the year.